Severus Snape's First Year
by Deja-Vu3
Summary: Well, the title sums it up pretty much. I'm not good at summaries so I'll just leave it from here.
1. The Hogwarts Express

NOTE: I do not own any of these people or places etc. How I wish I did, but J.K. Rowling's the lucky one there.  
  
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"Would you like something from the trolley, dear?"  
Severus stared up at the woman pushing a food cart. His dark eyes flicked to the stacks of cauldron cakes and tall bottles of pumpkin juice. He was thirsty, and his small lunch had worn itself out.  
Putting on a begrudging look, he muttered, "No. I'm fine."  
As soon as the trolley woman has trundled out of sight, Severus took a small book out of his pocket. The faded lettering read: 'Hogwarts, A History'. Severus needed all the information about this place if he was to succeed in becoming a teacher here someday in the future- his childhood fantasy. His father had dissmissed this request with a wave of his hand, saying that "the Snape family had never become anything but owners of the Snape apothecary". Severus would change this, though. He deserved more than to follow his disgraceful family's traditions- he was a Snape by name only, and in his opinion, he was not related to his father and his forefathers... yet nothing could erase the fact that he was his father's son. The sad truth.  
Suddenly, a knock on the train compartment door broke into Severus's thoughts. He waited a moment, considering whether to let the person in or not. He may as well, it could be another first-year to be like himself.  
"Come in," he said.  
The door slid open and in stepped a boy with unruly black hair and round glasses. "Hi, I'm James. James Potter," the boy said, immediately sitting down opposite Severus. Severus frowned slightly... the boy did not even ask if he was welcome.  
"Severus," he muttered, pocketing his book.  
James grinned at him. "What're you reading for? We'll have plenty of time to do that in class. Oh well, freedom can't last forever."  
Severus's lips thinned. He remained silent. After a long pause, he asked, "Are you a first-year also?"  
James nodded. "I hope I'm in Gryffindor. My father was a Gryffindor, and my grandparents. Come to think of it, all my family were Gryffindors. You could say I'm the heir of Gryffindor, if you wanted!" He laughed at this.  
"Charming." Severus was increasingly disliking this James Potter. He seemed rather big-headed, and that rubbish about Gryffindor. As if it were something to be proud of, which of course it wasn't. More like humiliating.  
"Well, I'm getting changed. I asked around, and the older students say that we're probably going to arrive in ten minutes or so... see you later, Septerus!" James stood and walked out the door, leaving Severus sneering after him.  
  
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Sorry it's short, but a lot of chapters are going to make up for that. Please review! Another chapter coming if I get, oh let's say, two reviews. Heehee. 


	2. The Sorting

Stepping off the train, Severus looked around. He was at Hogwarts, so far without any complications. Following the stream of young eleven-year-olds, led on by a very tall, broad man with a gruff voice, they halted in front of the lake.  
Severus looked up in awe at the grand castle, full of sparkling lights. He had never seen anything so glorius... how his younger brother would be jealous of him now! Why, when he was here, he might be able to forget all his worries and devote himself to his dream, without any fathers or brothers ruining it all.  
"Come on, firs' years!" hollered the huge man. "In teh the boats, all of yeh!"  
Severus scrambled over to an empty boat, vaguely hoping that nobody would join him. He preferred his own company. Unfortunately, as Severus settled back, James Potter and another boy hurried over and climbed into the boat. Severus sneered, but in the darkness it went unseen.  
"Sirius, this is Septerus," James said. The other boy, Sirius, did not smile but extended his hand towards Severus. "Hi, Septerus," he mumbled.  
"It's Severus." Severus did not take Sirius's hand, he just nodded.  
Before any of the boys could say anything, the boats pushed away from the bank and sped off along the glassy surface of the lake. The three boys sat back in awed silence, staring up at the magnificent castle for the entire boat trip.  
Stepping out the boats, James, Sirius and Severus followed the line of young students to the Entrance Hall, where they all crowded into a side-room and waited, murmuring amongst themselves.  
Severus ignored James when he said, "I've known Sirius for years. Our fathers knew eachother from their school days, too. Sirius's dad is my godfather, and my dad is Sirius's."  
After a short while, a witch in maroon robes bustled into the room, standing before them all. She had shiny black hair, pulled back in a tight bun. She held her arm up until the room was silent, then started talking. "Shortly you will join the start-of-year feast, but before that you must be sorted into your house. Your house will be somewhat like your family at Hogwarts. You will have classes together, eat together and sleep in your house common-room. The four houses are Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw..."  
Severus was listening with rapt attentiion, but beside him James was whispering to Sirius and not paying notice at all. For some reason, a nerve twitched in Severus. This Potter boy was very irritating, he thought.  
After the witch had finished her speech, she led the first-years through another door and suddenly, abruptly, they had burst into the center of the splendid Great Hall.  
Severus could feel the entire school's eyes upon him as they mutely shuffled past the long tables. Above them, stars twinkled on an inky black ceiling. Candles floated everywhere, giving light to the hall. Severus felt his heart swell with a new kind of happiness, a happiness that did not include brewing simple cough-syrup potions or reading about this great school in an old book.  
After what seemed like a mile-long walk, the young group stopped in front of the teacher's table, where directly in front a solitary stool sat. Upon it sat a dirty, patched, frayed rag- but Severus reminded himself, it was a hat. The famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat.  
It sang a bizarre song, all about braveness and loyalty and wits and cunning and a name or two here and there in it. Severus folded his arms, impatient, and waited until the song was over.  
When it was finally done, the dark-haired witch (Professor McGonagall, Severus thought to himself) stepped forward and picked the hat up, holding in her other hand a roll of parchment. Reading out the names, one-by-one each student left for a table.  
Severus noticed that James kept glancing over to the Gryffindor table, where Sirius now sat. Hopefully Potter would go to that house that he seemed to pride himself in, and Severus would go to another. It didn't really matter to him which house, as long as he was not in Gryffindor. He did not want to look like a humiliated fool with that lot. Though Slytherin did seem rather intruiging.  
"Potter, James!" called out McGonagall.  
Grinning, James hurried up to the stool and pulled the hat onto his head. There was a brief pause before the hat yelled out, "GRYFFINDOR!"  
Yes, of course, Severus thought to himself. The twit gets his own way.  
After a few more students were sent to their houses, Severus heard McGonagall call out, "Snape, Severus!"  
Lip curling slightly at the mention of his last name, Severus stepped up towards the stool. The hat was slipped over his eyes, making the entire sea of faces disappear suddenly. Severus could hear a tiny muttering in his head; "Ah, yes, you seem like a very deterimed one. You'll do anything to achieve what you desire, won't you... yes. SLYTHERIN!"  
Smirking, Severus pulled off the head and headed for his new 'family' table.  
  
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I need ideas for the teachers Sev will face tomorrow- will his potions teacher inspire him or what? And do you think Flitwick is there back in those days? I'm not sure. Please e-mail me your suggestions if you liked it so far ^_^ 


	3. Whisperings of a 'Dark Lord?

Severus's eyes fluttered open suddenly- what was the time? Had he overslept?  
Sitting straight upright in his bed, Severus glanced around, noticing that it was barely light. He had not overslept... thank Merlin. He would hate to imagine the look on a professor's face if they saw Severus bustle into class, late on his first day. What kind of professor-to-be would do that?  
Shaking some of his long black hair out of his face, Severus stepped out of his bed and wandered out the boy's dormitory. He entered the shadowy Slytherin common-room, walking softly along the stone floor. He'd never get to sleep now, he may as well just wait an hour or so until it was seven and then go to breakfast.  
Sitting in a tall armchair in front of the fire, Severus half-closed his eyes and started thinking about what events today would bring. He'd already memorised his timetable... he had double Charms with the Gryffindors first, Tranfiguration until lunch, Defence Against the Dark Arts after lunch and flying lessons following that. Severus thought briefly about the Charms lesson, knowing that James Potter and his sidekick Sirius Black would be there. Oh well, it wouldn't be that bad. James probably thought that Severus was his 'friend' or something ridiculous like that. Fool.  
Suddenly, Severus heard whispering... it seemed to be coming from a dark corner, away from the dim light of the fire. Severus held his breath, remaining as quiet as possible. He could almost make out the words.  
"...the Dark Lord... yes, Tom Riddle... another is dead..."  
Severus frowned. He had heard rumours of some kind of 'Dark Lord' appearing a few years back, and how he had killed a few muggles. Nothing serious, though. Probably just a gang of thug wizards, murdering people for enjoyment. A passing phase.  
Gradually the whispers ceased and four or five people sneaked swiftly back into their dormitories, believing they had gone unseen and unheard. Severus paid them no heed and went back to his musings.  
After about an hour, a few people stumbled into the common-room, yawning and wiping their eyes. One of them, a first-year with silvery-blonde hair and grey eyes, sat down in another armchair beside Severus. Severus remembered that his name was Malfoy, Lucius. The Sorting Hat had yelled out "SLYTHERIN!" before it hardly touched his head, and no wonder. Severus knew the Malfoy family, and they were certainly worthy of being in Slytherin.  
"Morning, Snape," Lucius mumbled, not looking at Severus.  
Severus sneered. "Don't call me that, Malfoy."  
"As you wish, Snape," Lucius replied, smirking.  
Severus gritted his teeth, but chose to ignore Lucius. How would he know what kind of shame being a Snape brought, even if nobody realised how great it was?  
"So," said Lucius, pulling on a shoe. "We've got Charms with the Gryffindors, then? Pity. I'll have to see Weasley."  
Severus looked at him. "Who's Weasley?"  
"Arthur Weasley, you know, that red-headed kid with the freckles," Lucius sneered. "His family's a disgrace to the wizarding name."  
Severus looked at the floor. Yes, he knew Weasley. His father often brought him into the apothecary shop to buy hay-fever remedies.  
Severus shook his head suddenly. He had to stop thinking about his past life, his family, the apothecary. At Hogwarts he was a new person, a person with no family, a person without any background. He was not THE Severus Snape, he was just plain Severus Snape. An object with a name that meant nothing.  
"Well, Snape old boy, you'd better get out of that night-shirt. Wouldn't want anybody to see you in that at breakfast." Lucius stood and headed out the stone doorway, into the dungeon corridors.  
Sighing, Severus went back to his dormitory and found his robes. He noticed that the grey stripes on his tie had turned green and silver- the colours of Slytherin. There was also a small badge on his bed-side cabinet, reading, 'Severus Snape' above the Slytherin crest. Severus grimaced slightly, then entered the bathrooms to get changed.  
  
The Great Hall was filled with bright sunlight today; not the sparkling lights of stars and candles as it was the previous night. Severus sat at one end of the Slytherin table, content to being alone.  
He ate his french toast while reading about the arts of Charms. It seemed rather boring; by the sounds of it he would be learning simple little wand-waving techniques. When would he be able to learn how to shoot ice from his wand-tip or turn people into raving lunatics by putting gruesome images into their heads? Of course, he knew how do that already. His father had decided to give his sons a 'boost' and teach them a few dark spells. But that was smething that he mustn't think about. He would have to forget those spells and be settle with learning how to make feathers float and shoot little sparks.  
Much to Severus's annoyance, Lucius came and sat beside him.  
"So Snape, reading again? It's as if you're scared of not knowing everything."  
Severus scowled at him. "I am making sure that I actually pass this year with more than the lowest marks, Malfoy. Unlike you."  
Lucius smirked and continued to eat his cheese and egg croissiant, ignoring Severus.  
Finally breakfast was over and everybody streamed out, heading for their classes. Lucius and Severus had almost walked into the Charms classroom when they collided into James and Sirius.  
"Watch it!" spat Lucius, but James grinned.  
"Terribly sorry, dear fellows," he said in pompous accent. "Hope you chaps are still jolly!" He and Sirius then walked into the classroom.  
Severus sneered, following them in.  
To Severus's mild suprise, a teacher he did not expect to see stood before the class.  
"I welcome you all to today's lesson." the Professor said. "Your new Charms teacher will not be arriving until late nest term, and for the time being I have agreed to be your substitute. Has anybody have any questions?"  
James raised his hand, and without waiting to be nodded upon, he asked "Aren't you the headmaster, Sir?"  
The Professor smiled, his blue eyes twinkling. "Yes. My name is Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts school." 


	4. Severus's First Enemy

"Oh, isn't this a bit boring?" said James, idly waving his wand around.  
"Very," muttered Severus, staring up at the ceiling.  
Professor Dumbledore had put everybody in random pairs for a little charms test- rolling a stick across the table. Severus had been paired with James Potter, much to his displeasure, but the way Severus felt was nothing compared to the look on Lucius's face when Dumbledore put him with Arthur Weasley.  
"Weasley, you buffoon, that's not how you wave the wand!" Lucius was frequently heard remarking.  
James seemed to have taken over the entire responsibility of performing the charm, though he couldn't seem make it budge any more than he could make his hair neat. After what seemed an eternity of James muttering and yawning, Severus pushed him out the way, saying "I'll do it, idiot," muttered a few incantation words, and successfully rolled the stick off the desk.  
"Well done, Severus," said Dumbledore, beaming.  
  
James seemed to have gotten the hint after that, and was a lot colder towards Severus from then. Frankly, Severus couldn't care less- Potter was an aggravating fool, as was his friend Black. Good riddance to bad rubbish.  
The last subject of the day was flying lessons- Severus was rather apprehensive about this. In his point of view, a lesson that wasn't inside a classroom and whose knowledge couldn't be written on a piece of parchment was unreliable... even so, he couldn't help feeling slightly excited about it.  
  
"What've we got now, Snape?" asked Lucius as their class filed out of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Severus gave him a dark look, but said "Flying lessons." He couldn't help keeping his voice in it's usual monotone, nerves shook it.  
"Excellent," Lucius said, grinning. "I was basically born on a broomstick, this'll be great."  
"Right," muttered Severus, and they headed for the Entrance Hall.  
Stepping onto the grounds, they saw another group of students heading towards the Quidditch pitch. They looked like the-  
"Gryffindors," Lucius snarled. "This is just great, isn't it? We have to have them with us twice in one day! Why is that?"  
"Don't ask me," said Severus, as disappointed as Lucius about this news.  
"Right everybody," squawked a frail-looking old wizard who Severus doubted had ridden a broomstick in well over ten years. "Welcome to your first flying lesson. I am Mr. Niken, your teacher. Let's get things cleared up first- whatever I tell you to do, you do it. No questions asked... do you all understand?"  
The class nodded mutely. Mr. Niken's eyes scanned their faces, his craggy face scowling.  
"Right. Step up to your brooms, hold your hand over it, and say clearly 'Up!' on the count of three. Ready; one, two, three!"  
"Up!" shouted Severus. His broom slowly hovered into his hand; Severus felt quite proud of this, but then he saw James. James's broom flew straight into his hand without hesitation, making Severus glower with jealousy.  
"Now, I want you to mount your brooms, kick off, hover for a moment, and lean your broom forwards slightly and land. Any of those who have flown before may circle- slowly! - around our group and come to land where they started. Ready; one, two, three!"  
Severus kicked off from the ground; he was suddenly floating, floating above the ground. It was only a few feet, but to Severus it was like he was soaring through the clouds. He had never felt anything like it... it was breathtaking.  
His daydream was suddenly broken when Mr. Niken grabbed the front of his broom and yanked it downwards. "You're doing it totally wrong, boy," he said loudly. "You're holding it wrong, sitting on it wrong and you were starting to fly backwards. Take a leaf out of Potter's book; go on, Potter, show him how it's done."  
James gave a smug smirk, kicked off from the ground, did a perfect loop around the class and landed neatly exactly where he took off from. Severus sneered. James sneered back at him.   
Severus seemed to have made his first enemy- James Potter.  
  
The next few days were uneventful, until Thursday. The Slytherins had Potions for the first time right after lunch. Severus was keen to go to this; he knew plenty about potions and alchemy, thanks to his father owning an apothecary. Maybe it was best to remember about the apothecary, just for this lesson. The knowledge would come in handy.  
The Slytherin first-years sat in their seats, borely awaiting their professor's arrival. Potions class had began twenty minutes ago, and the teacher still hadn't come to class. By the sounds of other students running along the corridors outside, laughing and yelling, none of the other teachers had come either. A few Slytherin boys stood up and headed for the door, but they stopped suddenly as a tall man blocked the way.  
"Sneaking out of class, are we?" he snarled, stepping menacingly towards the three boys who scampered back to their desks like frightened rabbits. "I do apologise for being late, my students, but Headmaster called us in for an urgent meeting." He stared around the class with cold eyes, making everybody shudder.  
"I am Professor Eros Septimius. I have been teaching Potions here at Hogwarts for well over thirty years and so I expect none of you to have any reason to complain about anything that I set." Septimius's voice was low and like a growl; his features matched this voice perfectly. His nose was large and bulbous, his penetrating ice-blue eyes seemed to have sunken into the heavily-wrinkled face like heavy stones on a sponge. His weak-looking chin was covered in white bristles, his sparse grey hair hung about his face at all different lengths. Severus took an immediate disliking to him, as did just about everybody in the school.  
Septimius sat down at his desk, unrolling a peice of parchment and dipping a very large, ornate quill into the ink pot. "Abercorge," he muttered, reading out each student's name and ticking them off as they answered. He soon came to Severus's name.  
"Snape."  
"Present, Professor," mumbled Severus, staring at the ground.  
There was a short pause, before Septimius asked, "You're Severus Snape, of the apothecary family?"  
Severus looked up, his dark eyes glowering. "Yes, sir."  
Septimius snickered, a sound that was quite unpleasant to hear. "You should do well in this subject, my boy," he said slyly, before carrying on. 


End file.
